Judy Nakagawa spent the first 20 years of her career working as a writer/ consultant in business and international development. She began studying sculpture at the Corcoran School of Art +Design in Washington, DC in 1998, and in 2002 she was awarded the Berthold Schmutzhart Award for sculpture. She exhibited her work at the Whitewalls Gallery, in the Corcoran School, the Jackson Art Centre in Georgetown, and had a solo show at the Errant Space Gallery in the National Press Club Building in downtown Washington.
Since moving back to Vancouver in 2004, she has participated in group shows at Capilano College and for the fundraiser ”Out of the Rain”, held at the Roundhouse. In 2007, she had a solo show “In Pursuit of a Quiet Art” at the Japanese Canadian National Museum in Burnaby.
In March 2008 she showed her work at the Ellesmere United Church at Simon Fraser University as part of their Ministry in the Arts program, and exhibited a large-scale installation at the Roundhouse Community Centre in Yaletown, called “Rush to the Heart”, as part of the Vancouver International Dance Festival. "Rush to the Heart" was exhibited again in October 2008 as a theatrical installation at Performance Works on Granville Island.
Shows
Shinju, (Double Suicide), Theatrical Installation, Performance Works, Granville Island, Vancouver, B.C., October 2008
Leap, An Exhibition of Art and Photography, Group Show, The Roundhouse Community Center, in conjunction with the Vancouver International Dance Festival, Vancouver, B.C., 2008
Art and Worship Series, Solo Show, Ellesmere United Church, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, B.C., 2008
In Pursuit of a Quiet Art, Solo Show, Japanese Canadian National Museum, Burnaby, B.C., 2007
All You Can Eat, Group Sculpture Show, Capilano College, North Vancouver, B.C., 2005
Out of the Rain, Invitational Fundraiser, Roundhouse, Vancouver, B.C., 2005
Errant Space Gallery, Solo Show, National Press Club Building, Washington, D.C., 2001
Open Studios, Jackson Art Center, Washington. D.C., November 2001
Whitewalls Gallery, Corcoran School, Group Sculpture Show, Washington, D.C., January 2002
Whitewalls Gallery, Corcoran School, Group Sculpture Show, Washington, D.C., February 2000
Education
Capilano College, Art Institute, 2005 (Art Institute semester)
Corcoran College of Art + Design, Washington, D.C., (Continuing Education) 1999 – 2002
University of British Columbia, B.A., 1975
Awards
Corcoran College of Art +Design, Berthold Schmutzhart Award, for outstanding achievement (Sculpture), April 2002